Wakaya-Alyawarre Traditional Owners received deed of grant to more than 484,000 hectares of land on Wednesday, more than four decades after first making the claim.
Located near Canteen Creek in the Barkly region of the Northern Territory, the Central Land Council (CLC) first lodged the long-standing Wakaya Alyawarre (Repeat) Land claim in 1980, fighting for recognition under the Aboriginal Land Rights (NT) Act 1976.
It was finalised last year, with the Governor-General signing a deed of grant to the Wakaya-Alyawarre Aboriginal land trust in February.
On Wednesday, the federal government delivered a deed of grant to the Wakaya-Alyawarre Aboriginal Land Trust, recognising in law the ongoing spiritual and cultural connection the Wakaya and Alyawarre people have with their Country.
Last year, Aunty Eileen Bonney, the only surviving senior member of the original land rights claim group from 1980, said she was happy the resolution to the claim occurred "while I'm still living".
On Wednesday, she finally saw the land officially handed back.
"I'm feeling happy to get this title. I waited a long time when I was young. I kept talking and kept fighting until I got old. And now it's going to happen," Ms Bonney said on Tuesday before the handover.
Speaking at the handover on Country, federal Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy, said: "I recognise your strength and leadership over many decades Aunty Eileen Bonney, you and all your families and all the families here."
"I know that there are many Traditional Owners who are no longer with us," the Yanyuwa Senator said.
"But I also know that we have our young generation and the next generations now, who need to know this story and that 44 years of struggle."
The Minister said, having seen the length of time it took for her people—the Yanyuwa Garrwa people of Borroloola—to receive their land back under the Land Rights Act, the handover was personally emotional and special.
"In July last year, when I was appointed as Minister for Indigenous Australians in this country, one of the first things I saw was this area here for you Aunty Eileen and all the families here, how long you've waited," Senator McCarthy said.
"And I knew both in my heart, but also in general fairness, that this had to be processed.
"We had people opposing us [in the Senate] for their own reasons. But I was determined to see this come through because I knew what it would mean to you Aunty and to all these families here."
Since the first claim was lodged, Traditional Owners have won back two parcels of the original claim area whilst agreeing to withdraw the Canteen Creek township area from the rest.
The amendment to the Northern Territory's Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1976 (Land Rights Act) will allow Traditional Owners to be granted more than 484,000 hectares of land, located approximately 275km south-east of Tennant Creek.
The Wakaya-Alyawarre (Repeat) land claim is one of the CLC's last two outstanding claims under the Aboriginal Land Rights Act, with the Land Council having now won back more than half of the land in the southern NT for Traditional Owners.
On Tuesday, Central Land Council chief executive Les Turner said the handback "honours the determination and strength of the Traditional Owners who never gave up on their claim".
"It's a moment to celebrate and reflect on the sacrifices of those who didn't live to see this day," Mr Turner said.
Senator McCarthy said the handover and milestone reaffirmed the government's "commitment to finalising unresolved land claims in the Northern Territory and increasing First Nations rights and interests in land and sea Country".
"Today we celebrate that the law now reflects the Wakaya and Alyawarre peoples' right to own and control their traditional lands," she said.
"I acknowledge the decades of work and advocacy by Traditional Owners and the Central Land Council to get us to this momentous day."
